Disney Things that Made Sense AFTER I Realized I was Trans

My friend and I were talking today and we got on the topic of different things that may have hit differently with us growing up AFAB (Assigned Female at Birth). I’m not sure if there’s really more than rambling that’ll be here, but maybe you’ll see something that sounds familiar or maybe it will help someone understand a little more about what growing up trans might be like. 

It was super confusing to try to figure out why I was so disappointed when Mulan didn’t stay Ping at the end of the movie. Layer that with the absolute destructive force that was “Reflection,” and the result was one super confused kid that didn’t really like the ending when Mulan “went back” to being a girl. It really didn’t stop being a thing that felt weird for me to feel bad about, but I am also the sort of guy that identifies with both Disney princes, princesses, and/or sidekicks. There’s a reason that I spent as long as I did trying to compromise my identity as Enby (Non-Binary if you’re not used to the phrase) to try to keep things easier. Spoiler: It, in fact, only made things harder. In all though, it was a movie that really helped me later in life to help identify myself.

For some reason I just really wanted to be Pheobus from The Hunchback of Notre Dame  for a while. He’s lowkey who I hope I’ll look more like as we go on through changes on Testosterone (T). That flavor tended to shift. I have a lot of memories of wanting to be Simba or Robin Hood too. 

One of the more powerful moments for me in some of this whole experience came from the first two lines of “How Far I’ll Go” in Moana had me just about bawling in the theater. Combined with my own walk through this whole trans business , which really played out more like the five stages of grief. If you’re new to what those stages are they are Anger, Denial, Bargaining, Depression, and Acceptance. I’m sure that I’ll go into that one a bit more eventually.

To this day the way that Auliʻi Cravalho delivered that “what is wrong with me?” gives me chills. Thanks for that little nudge there Auliʻi, you really did help me get to a better mental space. 

The Little Mermaid. Can I just tangent here briefly to say that it’s completely BS that Ariel wasn’t able to see her family ever again after her transition to land. I hate it. I know that it happens, but it’s utter nonsense. Triton is the king of the ocean and he could, like, TALK to Eric or whoever is there now. You don’t need to send the poor girl to a foreign land with no support system aside from a dude she met last week.You don’t need to never see your family again. Be sensible, one of you.

Vitani. Vitani from Lion King 2 is pure aesthetic for me as a guy that is not dysphoric in dresses and the like. They always gave me huge Non-binary vibes and I appreciate that I’ve seen other folks that also see a more binary trans individual in them. 

I have a vivid memory of  paying close attention to how Aladdin kisses Jasmine at the end of the movie since that seemed important for some reason. 

The whole of Treasure Planet hits hard for me. There are probably a few factors that play into it, but Jim just makes sense. Especially his aimlessness at the beginning and the non-directed anger. There was A LOT of that feeling that I’m sure is normal for all teenagers, but now I need you boys to imagine needing a bra at 10 and being told that you’re a woman now. In my brain until it happened I didn’t really connect that being a “girl” meant not being a guy once puberty happened. 

I know, kids can be pretty oblivious, right? 

Have you had any movie moments that just Made Sense later?